Gladius

[Dictator]

I was wondering why the gladius isn't an AP weapon, at least past polybian.

If african elite adopt roman gear and get an AP sword, why don't roman gladius do that?

[QuintusSertorius]

Well the gladius hispaniensis does have a higher lethality (0.13 compared to 0.1) than the earlier Italic swords Camillian troops have.

But it is strange that those using Roman equipment get AP while Romans don't.

[johnhughthom]

You are probably right, but how easy would the Romans be if they had AP weapons? They are powerful enough now as it is.

[Ludens]

IIRC they carry the Iberian falcata, not the gladius hispaniensis. The falcata does get an AP bonus.

[Watchman]

It's not even IIRC, it is a falcata if you actually look at it closely in-game. The gladius hispaniensis, like the other straight swords of the game (two-handers don't count), isn't rated as mucho choppy enough to merit AP.

Like all shortswords it's worth +2 to the unit's base attack skill tho'...

[Dictator]

See details bellow

A Falcata albeit a splendid weapons puts its emphasis on cutting. Although heavy enough to cut some armour its hardly what's designed to do.

A Gladius, might not be AP, but the way it was most commonly used (thrust) I would say it would pierce most common armour. Mail would certainly be more vulnerable to thrust rather than slash, since it's designed to minize damage to slashing. I don't know about plate or musculate type though

Falcata:
The Falcata has a one edged blade that pitches forward towards the point, the edge being concave on the lower part of the sword, but convex on top. This shape distributes the weight in such a way that the falcata is capable of delivering a blow with the momentum of an axe, while maintaining the cutting edge of a sword. The hilt is typically hook-shaped, the end being stylized in the shape of a horse or a bird. There is often a thin chain connecting the tip of the hilt with the upper section. Although it was a one-edge weapon, two-edge falcatas have been found.

The falcata-like swords were derived from the sickle-shape knives of the Iron Age, that too explains their ritual uses. It is thought that it was introduced in the Iberian Peninsula by the Celts who spread the iron technology. It seems that its origin is parallel to the Greek Kopis, and not derived from it.

Kopis:

The kopis (Ancient Greek: κοπίς, from κόπτω "to cut") was a sword with a forward-curving blade, primarily used as a tool for cutting meat, for slaughter and animal sacrifice, but also as a weapon.

[mcantu]

Falcata type weapons are heavily weighted towards the front which allows them to deliver very powerful shearing cuts. Against linothorax armors, this would be fairly effective.

[Watchman]

I imagine the somewhat axe-like striking qualities and the blade design made them an unwelcome aquaintance to most other armour too - after all, the "bigger hammer theory" way to increase a sword's armour-penetrating ability was amping its brute cleaving power, as also witnessed in the Medieval falchion and the big-ass straight "swords of war".

A path of developement, it should be noted, which worked against anything short of the putative ultimate premodern type of body armour, solid steel plate.